From:
MilindapaƱha Questions of Milinda
Buddhavagga Buddha Chapter
2. BuddhassaanuttarabhÄvapaƱha Question on the Unsurpassed Nature of the Buddha
RÄjÄ ÄhaāThe king asked:
ābhante nÄgasena, buddho anuttaroāti? āVenerable NÄgasena, is the Buddha unsurpassed?ā
āÄma, mahÄrÄja, bhagavÄ anuttaroāti. āYes, your majesty, the Blessed One is unsurpassed.ā
āKathaį¹, bhante nÄgasena, adiį¹į¹hapubbaį¹ jÄnÄsi ābuddho anuttaroāāti? āHow, venerable NÄgasena, do you know the Buddha is unsurpassed if you havenāt seen him before?ā
āTaį¹ kiį¹ maƱƱasi, mahÄrÄja, yehi adiį¹į¹hapubbo mahÄsamuddo, jÄneyyuį¹ te, mahÄrÄja, mahanto kho mahÄsamuddo gambhÄ«ro appameyyo duppariyogÄho, yatthimÄ paƱca mahÄnadiyo satataį¹ samitaį¹ appenti, seyyathidaį¹āāWhat do you think, your majesty, would those who have not seen the great ocean before know that this great ocean is huge, deep, immeasurable, and unfathomable, such that as these five great rivers that flow into it constantly and continually, that is
gaį¹
gÄ yamunÄ aciravatÄ« sarabhÅ« mahÄ«, neva tassa Å«nattaį¹ vÄ pÅ«rattaį¹ vÄ paƱƱÄyatÄ«āti? the Gaį¹
gÄ, the YamunÄ, the AciravatÄ«, the SarabhÅ«, and the MahÄ«, neither the depletion nor filling up of it is discerned?ā
āÄma, bhante, jÄneyyunāti. āYes, venerable sir, they would know.ā
āEvameva kho, mahÄrÄja, sÄvake mahante parinibbute passitvÄ jÄnÄmi ābhagavÄ anuttaroāāti. āIn the same way, your majesty, when I think of the great disciples who have attained final NibbÄna, I know the Blessed One is unsurpassed.ā
āKallosi, bhante nÄgasenÄāti. āYou are clever, venerable NÄgasena.ā
Buddhassa anuttarabhÄvapaƱho dutiyo. Question on the Unsurpassed Nature of the Buddha second